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Hurricane Katrina
Recovery Tips
EPA Urges Caution When Re-entering Hurricane-Damaged
Buildings
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 6, 2005 --The Environmental Protection Agency
and other federal, state and local officials are urging individuals to use
caution when returning to hurricane-damaged homes and buildings.
The EPA today issued an advisory to the public that
provides general guidance to help address potential hazards in structures
damaged by hurricane Katrina.
EPA urges the public to be on the alert for leaking containers and reactive
household chemicals, like caustic drain cleaners and chlorine bleach, and
take the following necessary precautions to prevent injury or further
damage:
·
Keep children and pets away from leaking or spilled chemicals.
·
Do not combine chemicals from
leaking or damaged containers as this may
produce dangerous or violent reactions.
·
Do not dump chemicals down
drains, storm sewers or toilets.
·
Do not attempt to burn household
chemicals.
·
Clearly mark and set aside
unbroken containers until they can be
properly disposed of
·
Leave damaged or unlabeled
chemical containers undisturbed whenever
possible.
Building materials
Individuals should exercise caution when disturbing
building materials to prevent physical injury or other health effects.
Bulding materials may contain hazardous materials such as asbestos that when
carried by the air can be breathed in and cause adverse health effects. If
it is
suspected that asbestos containing materials may be present, they should
not be disturbed.
·
Asbestos containing materials include the following:
·
boiler/pipe insulation
·
fireproofing
·
floor tiles
·
asbestos roofing
·
transite boards used in laboratory tabletops and in acoustics
in auditoriums, music rooms and phone booths.
Federal, state and local personnel are being deployed to the
hurricane-affected areas to establish debris-management programs,
including household hazardous waste collection and disposal programs.
These efforts may take days or weeks to come to all
communities. In the meantime, EPA urges the public to exercise caution and
report concerns to local environmental, health and waste disposal
authorities.
For more information, the public can go to
http://www.fema.gov/regions/iii/env/debris.shtm.
Government officials can get information on managing
hurricane debris at
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/disaster/disaster.txt.
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